A child died after falling from the bow of a boat on Lake Powell and being struck by the vessel, turning a summer outing into a fatal boating accident near Page, Arizona. The incident happened inside Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, where emergency crews rushed to the scene Thursday.
Coconino County sheriff’s deputies and National Park Service rangers responded shortly after noon after receiving a report of a boating accident. According to KUTV, a press release said the child fell from the bow and was then struck by the boat.
Officials provided emergency medical care before transporting the child to Antelope Marina, where City of Page Fire Department personnel met the crews. Intermountain Health Air Medical then flew the child to an area hospital, where they later died from their injuries.
Lake Powell Boating Safety Reminders
The National Park Service warns that Lake Powell’s size, shifting channels, wakes and sudden weather can create serious hazards for boaters. The agency says children 12 and younger must wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket while a boat is underway and recommends that children wear one whenever they are around the water.
The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office operates its Lake Powell boat patrol primarily from its Page substation. The county says the unit has conducted water rescues, responded to sinking vessels and recovered drowning victims while also providing boating-safety education in the Page area.
The death comes weeks after another fatal Lake Powell incident in which a 30-year-old Kearns man drowned near Castle Rock after strong winds pushed his boat out of reach. Hoodline previously reported that National Park Service crews used sonar to locate and recover his body.
The child’s name and age were not included in the initial report. The incident remains under investigation, according to KUTV.
